Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 5:47 pmTribune staff reportSOUTH BEND — The Western Wireless store, 2024 W. Western Ave., was robbed by a man armed with a handgun early Monday evening, according to South Bend Police reports. Police say that around 5:50 p.m. a man entered the store, showed a gun and demanded money from the cash register. After the cashier complied, the suspect ran away.http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/lo ... 9d636.html

"Preserving and protecting the principles of the Constitution is the primary role of the federal government."

JOSEPH DITS South Bend Tribune jdits@sbtinfo.comKrysti LaVanway was sentenced to 35 years in prison Wednesday for neglect in the September death of her 2-year-old daughter. It came after an hour and a half of testimony where LaVanway acknowledged she failed to do enough to help her child after her boyfriend beat Serenity for wetting her bed in the motel room where all three were living.At least three hours had passed Sept. 18 before she took Serenity, bloodied, unconscious and with bruises across her body, to the hospital. The child died the next day after being sent to a Fort Wayne hospital.“I hate myself,” 24-year-old LaVanway said as she admitted that she was partially responsible, her face turning red as she cried. “She didn’t deserve this.”But Marshall Superior Court Judge Robert Bowen said that, out of the 20 to 40 years he could have sentenced her, he opted for a higher term because of how LaVanway failed to respond and how she lied to police during the investigation to protect her boyfriend, Shane Weedling. The judge felt she placed Weedling’s criminal act above her daughter’s safety.

None of the 35-year sentence will be suspended, Judge Bowen said.LaVanway testified she was at work when Serenity was beaten. She received texts from Weedling that he was upset at the child and had beaten her — and that she needed to get home and make a decision about whether the child would continue to live with them. She testified that, until she found someone to give her a ride from the Economy Inn in Plymouth, where they were staying, to the hospital, she could never find a phone to call 911, not even at work.Plymouth Police Detective Sgt. Leo Mangus, who investigated the case, testified he saw the texts and that Weedling texted he would beat Serenity again. LaVanway said she didn’t see that text until she was leaving work.She’d pleaded guilty to the charge of negligence. And a charge of murder was dropped this month after prosecution couldn’t find any sign that LaVanway actually struck the child.Serenity’s biological father, Cody Wilson, urged the judge in a letter — read in court — to issue the fullest sentence to “make an example of Ms. LaVanway” to prevent abusive and neglectful acts by other parents. Wilson, who also has a 5-year-old child with her, was no longer in a relationship with her when Serenity was killed.Wilson’s sister, Renee Burns, who said she is a nurse, testified she saw Serenity just after the child had been taken there, saying: “I know those bruises were on there for weeks. You did nothing to help her.”She said to LaVanway in court: “You’re a cruel, heartless monster, you deserve the worst punishment.”County Probation Officer Steven Harner stated that, while preparing the pre-sentencing report, he didn’t detect any remorse from LaVanway, adding that he had to interview her three times because he could never get an honest feel for what she was saying.Asked if the sentence was fair, LaVanway’s mother, Gina Williams, said “sort of.”Before the hearing, Williams had said: “She’s taking responsibility for her actions. She could have done more. … She doesn’t deal well under pressure.”LaVanway’s stepmother, Shannon Williams, told The Tribune that LaVanway and Serenity had lived with her through the pregnancy and Serenity’s first year, and then lived with Gina Williams. But this year, the two mothers said, LaVanway started pushing family away because they didn’t approve of Weedling.In court, LaVanway said she was “pretty much homeless” until she moved into the motel in May with Weedling using the income from her full-time job. At first, she said, she didn’t want her other children living at the motel because “there’s drugs, there’s people I don’t know.”LaVanway admitted that she and Weedling would smoke marijuana two to three times a week to deal with her mood swings. She said she’s on prescription drugs to deal with mood swings and depression.Defense attorney Jeffrey Houin, in arguing a sentence that’s more “reformative” than “vindictive, noted how the case has already motivated local efforts to cope with homelessness and child abuse.Weedling, 23, is charged with murder, aggravated battery resulting in death, neglect of a dependent causing death and possession of marijuana with prior convictions. His trial has been set for May 10.jdits@sbtinfo.com574-235-6158http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/pu ... 83100.html

"Preserving and protecting the principles of the Constitution is the primary role of the federal government."

Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2015 6:00 am | Updated: 6:01 am, Sat Dec 26, 2015.South Bend Tribune Staff ReportSOUTH BEND — One man was killed and two more people were injured in a two-vehicle crash early Friday morning at the corner of Ford and Olive streets on the city's west side.Police said an SUV — believed to be a white Mercury Mountaineer with Illinois license plates — was traveling south on Olive Street around 1:16 a.m. when it ran through the four-way stop at Ford Street.The SUV collided with a car that was traveling east on Ford. The car's 15-year-old driver and his 39-year-old father, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Marcelo Gallegos Murillo, 41, was sitting in the back seat and was ejected from the vehicle, police reported. Murillo was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.The SUV's occupants fled the scene after the crash, police said.Witnesses told police the SUV could have been speeding. One witness said the SUV drove around another vehicle to go through the intersection.Police are asking anyone with information about the crash to call Capt. Tim Spencer at 574-259-2967 or Crime Stoppers at 574-288-STOP.

File Art - Crime - HandcuffsMCT Illustration/Kurt StrazdinsPosted: Saturday, December 26, 2015 6:00 amLYNN, Ind. -- A 69-year-old Indiana woman is accused of throwing buckets of urine on a neighbor's house.Jackie VanTyle was charged with two counts of criminal mischief.VanTyle's neighbor called police Oct. 14 to report he believed VanTyle had been throwing urine on the siding of his home. He installed a camera and it recorded video on Oct. 17 and 18 that appeared to show VanTyle throwing a liquid on his house.The (Muncie) Star Press reports VanTyle initially denied knowledge of the vandalism. She later admitted to police she had been collecting her urine for several months and throwing it onto her neighbor's house when he wasn't home.

SOUTH BEND — A confrontation at a Christmas Eve gathering led to a shooting that left one man dead at a South Bend apartment complex Thursday afternoon.Lt. David Wells, assistant commander of the St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit, said South Bend police responded shortly after noon to a home in the Miami Hills apartments, for a report of shots fired.Inside a third-floor apartment, police found a man dead from at least one gunshot wound, Wells said.The victim was identified as Clevee Chick, 26. Initial reports indicated Chick was “possibly” shot in the head, Wells said.Witnesses told police the shooting happened at a gathering that involved at least five or six people, plus two young children.Wells said the suspected shooter, identified as Treshawn Williams, 20, had a relationship with a female inside the apartment.When Williams arrived at the apartment, “an argument ensued” that spilled into a hallway outside, Wells said. Williams allegedly opened fire with “numerous shots” at the doorway into the apartment, which was occupied by several adults and two very young children — a toddler and an infant.

The victim, who was inside the apartment visiting, was shot at least once.Police are searching for Williams, described as black, 6-foot-1, 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.The suspect, according to Wells, was with another unidentified black male at the time of the shooting. Both ran from the apartment, got into a dark-colored sedan and drove northbound on High Street.The homicide was the third shooting in South Bend since Wednesday night, after people were wounded in gunfire late Wednesday on Illinois Street and early Thursday morning at the Indian Springs apartment complex off Portage Road. Wells said police had no indication that the Miami Hills shooting was related to either of the previous incidents.

Indian Springs shootingOne person was injured in an early morning shooting Thursday at the Indian Springs apartment complex off Portage Avenue in South Bend. WSBT-TV photo

SOUTH BEND — One person was injured in a shooting early this morning at an apartment complex on South Bend's northwest side.According to police, a man was shot in the upper body around 3:50 a.m. at the Indian Springs apartment complex off Portage Avenue. Police say the victim, Leondre Woodson, 30, of Indianapolis, was shot during a confrontation with three unknown suspects. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment. The suspects are still at large, according to police.

Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 6:00 am | Updated: 6:02 am, Wed Dec 23, 2015.Tribune staff reportSOUTH BEND — A 53-year-old South Bend man who said he used a website to arrange a date with a woman was robbed by the woman when he went to the location where he was supposed to meet the woman. The incident took place in the 100 block of South Illinois Street around 9:30 p.m. Monday, according the South Bend Police Department reports. The victim told police the two arranged to meet at the Illinois Street location, but that a male suspect robbed him of money, his mobile phone and his car keys when he arrived.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -Two injured and one dead after three shootings happened in less than 24 hours.

The incidents happened in different areas of South Bend but the violence is still shocking just hours before Christmas.

“It’s really not a bad little city to live in. It’s really not, but it’s just I don’t know what’s going on,” says a resident who has lived in South Bend over 30 years.

The neighbor did not want to give her name but lives near Miami Hills Apartments where a deadly shooting happened Thursday around noon.

She is saddened to hear this is not the first violent crime committed on Christmas Eve.

“I think times are hard for everybody ya know people get into it and ya know just things happen it’s unfortunate,” says the neighbor.

The first shooting happened near the intersection of Illinois Street and Linden Avenue on Wednesday around 11 p.m. A teen was shot in the hand leg and stomach. The 17-year-old was taken to Memorial Hospital and police say his injuries are not life threatening.

“I don’t know what’s going on. It’s got to do something with the full moon I think,” says the neighbor.

She turns to superstition to explain how a few hours later another man is shot in the back and arm at Indian Springs Apartments. He too was taken to Memorial Hospital and survived.

The third victim shot at Miami Hills Apartments lost their life. Leaving at least one Lieutenant frustrated around the holidays.

“We will be lucky to have Christmas on Christmas,” says Lieutenant Dave Well with St. Joseph County Metro Homicide.

The three shootings are not connected. Police have vague suspect descriptions and ask that if you have any information you contact the South Bend Police Department.